Container



June 14, 1938.. G. A. MOORE 2,120,905

CONTAINER Filed Jan. '50, 1936 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented June 14, 1938 r 2,120,905 CONTAWER George Arlington Moore, Louisville, Ky; assignor to Humoco Corporation, Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Delaware Application January at, 1936, Seriai No. new e claims; (oi. sea-it) This invention relates to containers and more particularly to fabricated containers and parts thereof, and to the art of deforming fibrous or similar materials to impress desired contours or shapes of a permanent nature therein such as, for example, the deformation of single sheets, or laminated blanks of such materials, to form said containers or parts thereof. It has been heretofore proposed to provide means for deforming blanks of fibrous materials tov form containers-and other irregularly shaped articles by means of cooperating die members, but the deformed portions of the resulting articles have had an inherent tendency to spring back toward the original shape of the blank when the article is removed from the die unless the internal structure of the material is broken down at the bending line. In practice, it is very advantageous to either reduce or wholly prevent the tendency of a shaped blank to assume its originalform and, accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention isto provide a novel meansand method for rendering deformations of paper, fiberboard and like materials substantially" permanent. I

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel cover for a container body which is adapted to be secured thereto in a novel manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a light, yet sturdy, container which may be read- 113' manufactured in large numbers and at low cost, either in small or large sizes.

Still another object is to provide a novel container constituted by two or more parts, one of which is a hinged cover drawn from a single blank that may, if desired, be latched in position for closing the container by cooperating deformations on said cover and the container body.

A further object is to provide a container including one or a plurality of novel'portions formed of fibrous and acetate sheet laminations.

-A still further object is to provide a container comprising fibrous materials and having an end v closure of similar materials secured thereon in a novel manner.

Another object is to provide a novel method of fabricating acontainer for diversified utility.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description when takenin connection with the accompanying drawing. It

is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is designed for the purpose of illustra tion only and not as a definition of the limits of tendencies the invention, reference for this latter purpose being had primarily to the appended claims. I

' In the drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of one form of container embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the container of Fig. l, the section being taken on line 2-2;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the container of Fi 1; t

Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig. 2 showing another embodiment of the invention; and,

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view on an enlarged scale of a third embodiment of the invention.

} As illustrated by way of example in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the novel container comprises a rectangular body it, having rounded corners, and a novel/cover ii therefor, each made from a single blank of material, said blanks being drawn and formed into desired complementary shapes and associated with one another in a novel manner to be hereinafter described. 1

For the purpose of counteracting the common of resiliency, warpage, and other stresses to return deformed fibrous material to its original form and to insure the permanence- I of the deformations in the blanks when the same are drawn to proper shapes for forming body iii and cover ii, said blanks are constituted by a novel laminated structure comprising fibrous and acetate laminae, the latter of which may be rendered semi-plastic by the application of heat. The acetate lamina preferably forms the outer surface of the blanks and, in addition to assisting in rendering the deformations therein permanent in a manner to appear hereafter, renders the container moisture resistant, toughens the same without destroying the flexibility thereof, and gives a pleasing appearance to the same. In the 'form shown, the blank from which body it is formed is composed of a single sheet Illa, (Fig. 2)

fibrous materials,- This lacquer is not activated by heat of ordinary temperatures, such as room temperature. One solvent adhesive which has been found suitable contains about 20% solids including some resins and a plasticizer. If desired, acetate sheet lllb may be colored, to prevent the appearance of the adhesive film therethrough, by adding thereto a proper pigment of any suitable color.

Blank Illa, lllb, having been first cut to the proper shape for forming container body [0, is

preferably subjected to a drawing operation whereby an inwardly projecting rib I2 is formed around the central portion thereof. The peripheral outline of said rib is preferably the same shape as the container and is provided for the purpose of giving a degree of rigidity and additional strength to the base of body Ill, whereby excessive bowing or warpa'ge of the same is prevented. Rib I! may be drawn in blank Illa, lOb by cooperating male and female dies of suitable configurations substantially in the manner disclosed in my Reissue Patent No. 19,504, issued March 19, 1935.

By the operation of the same die members employed in forming rib l2, the marginal portion of blank Illa, [0b is drawn into flanged relation with the central portion thereof to form the vertical side walls of container body In. A light,

yet sturdy, body having seamless side walls whichare integral with its base is thus formed.

For a purpose to appear hereinafter, a pair of grooves I3 and H are formed in the back wall of body ID, the former and larger of the two being impressed adjacent the bottom and the latter adjacent the upper edge of said body. Grooves l3 and I4, each of which is parallel to the top and bottom of body I, preferably comprise a horizontal ledge portion a extending inwardly at .right angles to the vertical side walls, an intermediate portion b which is substantially parallel to the side walls, and an inclined portion 0 con necting the side wall and said intermediate portion and disposed at anangle of substantially 45 thereto. Said grooves as shown extend substantially across the uncurved portion of the back wall of body I. A similar groove or grooves I5 is also drawn in the front wall of said body to constitute a part of latching means for cover H to be hereinafter described.

A novel cover is provided for body III which is made from a single blank of material and adapted to be secured to said body in a novel manner whereby the same may be pivoted at a predetermined bending line thereon for opening and closing the container. In the embodiment illustrated, cover II is drawn from a laminated blank constituted by an inner sheet of fibrous material Ila and an arcuate sheet llb secured to one another in the same manner asthe laminations of blank Illa, lflb. An inwardly projecting rib I6 is drawn about the central portion of blank I la, I lb and the marginal portion thereof is drawn into flanged relation with said central portion in the same manner and by the same means employed in the formation of body ID as above described. The dimensions of saidcover and body are such that the same will have-a close telescopic fit, the latter being adapted to fit within the flanged portion of the former.

In order to facilitate the deformation of the blanks by the drawing and forming dies in the process of making body l0 and cover H and for the purpose of rendering said deformations permanent, the dies are preferably heated in any suitable manner such as by electricity or steam.

Heat conducted to the blanks from the dies is effective torender the. fibrous materials more pliable and thus more susceptible to deformation thereby permitting the deformation thereof with-,

out setting up stresses in the internal structure of the same, and without danger of destroying the bond between the acetate and fiber laminae. Upon the removal of the formed articles from the heated dies, the acetate sheets set quickly in deformed position when allowed to cool and, being free fromstresses, are effective to hold the deformed fiberboard under stress and against any tendencies of the same to spring back toward its original position. If desired, the blanks may be deformed by heated dies and then deposited into cold transfer dies, whereby said acetate lamina is cooled and permitted to set prior to the removal of the formed article.

In order that cover H may be secured to body l0 and move freely in hinged relation thereto,

- the rear vertical wall thereof has portions cut to absorb the thrust when the cover is pivoted to open position. The front and end flanges of cover I l are adapted to firmly engage the corresponding walls of body "I.

Cover II, as shown,-is secured to body ID by a suitable adhesive interposed between the rear wall of body Ill and tab H. In the process of fabricating the container, a thin dry coating of thermoplastic adhesive, adapted to be activated by heat, a solvent, or both, is preferably applied to the inner surface of tab l1. Said adhesive film may be activated by a suitable solvent applied to the rear wall of body Ill just prior to pressing the cover in place on said body. Tab I1 is preferably pressed against body II) by means of a suitably shaped heated iron, the heat being effective to further activate the adhesive and to assist in conforming the deformed tab to the contour of the grooved wall of said body, and the pressure acts to force the activated adhesive into the interstices of the adjacent fiber and acetate sheets, thereby substantially welding the same together.

In order to releasably secure cover II in closed position on the container body in such a manner as to provide against accidental opening thereof, latching means are provided by drawing an inwardly projecting rib 15a in the front flange of said cover, which is adapted to register with groove l5 in the face of body I). The material employed in makingrthewover has suflicient resiliency to cause rib, l5a to spring into said groove and be resiliently held therein when. the

.same are in registering position. As shown, the

edges I8 created by cutting away a portion of the flange at each end of the rear wall of cover II, as above pointed out, may be in the planes of the'end walls of body l0, thus permitting said cover to be pivoted at-line Ha without interference. Preferably, however, edges I8 extend a short distance around the rounded corner of body I0, as shown in Fig. 3, for the purpose of assisting latch l5, l5a in holding cover H in closed position. The distance which said edges may thus extend around the back of bodv ill will be determined by the resiliency and toughness of the material employed in making cover! I.

A portion of the front flangeof cover Il may be cut away as at l9 and lugs 19a and 191) may be provided on body It and cover II, respectively, to permit the parts to be gripped by the operator.

while pivoting the cover to. open position. Cover I l is shown in a partially open position by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

Due to the compacting of material which, results from drawing an annular fiange in a blank, there is a definite limit to the depth or length of flange which can be drawn if a smooth flange surface is desired. Accordingly,,there is a limit to'the depth of the container shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive. The invention, however, is not limited' to containers of a specific depth or height. and a second embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 4 wherein a body portion 20,

corresponding to body l0, and a removable cover- 21, are joined by a spacer 22 of fibrous material, such as paper, to form a container of greater depth. As shown, spacer 22 is telescopically received by flanged body member 20 and secured thereto by means of an adhesive 23 adapted to be activated. by heat, a solvent, or both. A thin,

dry coating of'thermoplastic adhesive is preferan impervious joint between the same and spacer 22. Said spacer may be regarded as the container body and member 20 as an end closure therefor. I

The upper end'of spacer or body 22 is telescopically received by cover 20 which may be similar in construction to. cover it or, if desired, may be removably mounted on saidbody. As shown, said cover is provided with a continuous peripheral flange 2t having inwardly'directed ribs 25, similar to rib iia, at opposite sides of the cover, said ribs being adapted to cooperate with correspondingly shaped grooves 28 in body 22 for yieldingly latching the cover in place. Preferably, the central portion of spacer it is enlarged so that the outer surface thereof is fiush with the outer walls of member 20 and cover 2 I, thus providing a smooth surface for the reception of a label. It will be understood, however, that body 22 may be printed before forming, thus avoiding the necessity for a. label.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 5 wherein spacer 22 is replaced by a liner 29 to which member 20 and, in the form shown, a pivoted cover 21 similar to cover II are secured in the same manner in which said member and cover II are secured to their respectlvecontalner bodies, as above described. The tab at the rear of cover 21 is provided with only one rib 28 which constitutes a bending line for cover 21, said tab being secured to body 29 by an adhesive 3B. Body or liner 29, as shown, is just long enough so that when it is telescopically fitted into parts "and 21, the edges of said parts will abut and the outer surfaces thereof will be flush with one another. Y r

In the enlarged viewiFig. 5), there is illustrated a covering II of cellophane or other suitable material which may be secured over the top ofv liner 29 litter the container has been filled and before cover 211s securedthereto.v A similar secondary covering may be used in the embodiments of Figs. land 4, if desired, the same being secured directly to body 10 in the embodiment of Fig. 1. It will be noted that the container of Fig. 5 may be fabricated to have a depth equal to twice the length of the maximum length of flange which can be safely and smoothly drawn in a, blank. The container of Fig. 4, however, is not limited as to depth.

There is thus provided a container which is fabricated from novel laminated blanks which are drawn and formed into cooperating elements,

one of which is a novel cover, said cover being so constructed that it may be removably latched on the container body or secured to the same for pivotal movement relative thereto and releasably latched in closing position by cooperation with a deformation in the wall of the container body. A refillable container is also thus provided which is light and inexpensive yet durable in use and -which has a pleasing appearance. If desired, the inner surfaces of the container body and closures may be coated with a dry film of nltro-cellulose lacquer to render said surfaces impervious.

It is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated and described but that various changes may be made, such as in the size and shape of the container illustrated and the specific materials specified, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the blanks employed having outlines or configurations to suit the desired deformations, size and shape. For a definition of the limits of the invention, reference will be had primarily to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A container comprising a body constituted by a blank oi fibrous and acetate sheet laminations joined by a bonding stratum of solvent ad- .1

hesive, said blank having the marginal portion thereof drawn into flanged relation with the central portion thereof, and a cover for said body constituted by ablank of fibrous and acetate sheet laminatlons, said last-named blank cornprising a central portion, a flange portion, and a skirt constituting hinge means, said skirt having a rib thereon adapted to cooperate with a groove in the wall of said body and being adhesively secured to the latter, and said flange portion and the flange or said body having cooperating deformations therein constituting iatching means for releasably holding the cover in closed position on the body.

2. A container comprising a body constituted by a blank having the marginal portion drawn into flanged relation withthe central portion thereof, and a cover for said body constituted by a blank having the marginal portion drawn into flanged relation with the central portion thereof, parts of said last-named marginal portion being cut away to provide a tab whereby said cover may be adhesively secured to said body for pivotal movement thereon.

3. A container comprising a body constituted by a member comprising a central portion and a. seamless-peripheral flange, and a cover for said body constituted by a member comprising acentral portion, a tab at one side for adhesively securing the cover to the body and constituting hinge means for the cover, and a flange portion at the other sides adapted to engage said periph-- eral flange.

4. A container comprising a body constituted "by a member comprising a central portion and a seamless peripheral flange, and a cover for said body constituted by a member comprising a central portion, a skirt at one side for adhesively securing the cover to the body and constituting hinge means for the cover, and a flange portion, the latter and said peripheral flange having cooperating deformations therein constituting latching means for releasably holding said cover in closed position on the body.

5. In a container, a body constituted by a member comprising fibrous materials and having a marginal portion thereof drawn into a seamless peripheral flange, and a cover for said body constituted by a member comprising fibrous materials and having amarginal portion drawn into flanged relation with the central portion thereof, said peripheral'flange and last-named marginal portion having cooperating deformations therein to yieldingly hold said cover. in closed position on the body.

6. In a container comprising fibrous materials, a bodyhaving a plurality of straight side walls, the latter having deformations therein. and a cover for the body having straight walls adapted 

